The best Android phone you can buy, as of August 2013

See which phones get the nod from Android Central as the best you can get

We've hit a point in the year where most of the major manufacturers have had their biggest devices out in the market for a bit, and even the late-comers have dropped their entry into the 2013 smartphone game. This is about as "mature" as the market is going to get in the year before a new wave of devices gets ready to hit, so it really is a great time to evaluate where each one stands.

Manufacturers have started to focus a bit less on specs in 2013 (or so they'd like you to believe) and have really pushed forward new features and experiences on their devices, giving a variety of interesting outcomes. There are a robust number of great choices in the market, and we're also reaching a point where U.S. consumers have a variety of options regardless of their carrier.

It's been almost three months since our last "best Android phones" roundup, and now it's time to re-evaluate the ranks in late August. In the end there has to be one winner, so read along with us after the break and see which phone comes out on top.

The best Android phone you can buy — the HTC One

When it was released earlier this year, the HTC One raised the bar for what we expect from smartphone manufacturers in 2013. The all-aluminum construction is both stunning and sturdy, with a design that is solid ergonomically even with massive front-facing stereo speakers. The new 1080p Super LCD display is fantastic.

A great camera that will perform whether you leave it in 'auto' mode or like to tinker with settings.

While its move to a 4 megapixel Ultrapixel camera isn't all good, the OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and dedicated ImageSense processing chip give the HTC One the ability to capture images that over phones just can't. Put that together with the specialized software features like Zoes and Video Highlights, and you have a great camera experience that will be able to perform whether you leave it in "auto" mode or like to tinker with settings.

We give the HTC One a few extra points for now having a Google Play edition available for those wanting the "Stock" experience to go along with this great hardware, but even in its standard Sense configuration (the way a vast majority of users will experience it) the HTC One offers a compelling set of features. Along with the aforementioned camera features, Sense provides a consistent look and feel that is user friendly and creates its own identity without throwing Android's out the window completely.

The HTC One is still the best device you can pick up right now.

With the launch on Verizon as of Aug. 22, the HTC One is also now available on all four major U.S. carriers with very little distinction between the models, and can even be had on smaller regional carriers. Worldwide availability is widespread as well, which means there's very little barrier to getting yourself this fantastic handset.

Our fondness for this phone has continued now several months after its release, and we have to say that the HTC One is still the best device you can pick up right now.

Runners-up - Samsung Galaxy S4, Motorola Moto X

It's hard to believe that Samsung could climb any higher in its amount of mind and market share amassed with the Galaxy S3, but when it released the Galaxy S4 it just continued upward on the same path.

On the hardware side Samsung has stepped up its game a little bit with the Galaxy S4 when compared to its predecessor the S3, but we still have a hard time enjoying the glossy plastic feel of the device when there are many other high-quality options out there. Samsung packed every bit of necessary processing power under the hood, however, and it still remains as one of the best all-around cameras out there.

A great all-around phone with all of the headline features, a solid screen and great camera.

Although it had a few stumbles with software lag and instability out of the box for many people, those issues have mostly been fixed and Samsung takes the crown for offering as many features as possible in one device. Whether you want your phone to watch your eyes to see if you're looking at the screen or respond when you swipe your hand over it, the Galaxy S4 has what you're looking for. The downside of so many features is a bit of software fatigue that can only be described as frustrating. Samsung's software has gotten a little long in the tooth lately, and is our main complaint about the device.

If you're looking for a great all-around phone with all of the headline features, a solid screen and great camera, Samsung has you covered with the Galaxy S4. You'd be hard-pressed to find a carrier or retailer in the world that doesn't carry the handset either, which means just about anyone reading this could buy one if they so desired. It comes in behind the HTC One and Moto X in this list, but is still a great choice for many.

Alas, the first true Motorola product after the Google acquisition, and it's quite the device. We've just wrapped up our in-depth review of the Moto X and came away extremely impressed with the build quality and experience on offer.

The Moto X offers a great software experience without bleeding-edge specs.

Motorola may not have packed bleeding-edge specs into the Moto X, but what they have put inside does the job without any issues. It turns out that a dual-core processor isn't as big of a deal as it would seem in late 2013, and the upsides of of these internals are better battery life and a few neat features as well. Those features like Active Display and Touchless Control can range from gimmick to lifesaver depending on the user, but the great part about them is how well they work when you do use them, and how they disappear if you don't.

An above-average camera, but one that can't perform well in all situations.

On the camera side, Motorola's new "Clear Pixel" camera technology doesn't completely live up to the hype of creating beautiful, well-lit photos in all situations. While the ceiling of what this camera is capable of may be high, it can fall flat with dull and over-processed images when taking indoor and extremely low-light photos. We have to say that overall it is an above-average camera, but this isn't going to be replacing your point-and-shoot any time soon.

From an ergonomics, design and experience standpoint there's really nothing to complain about here, you just need to decide if the few lackluster specs are going to be enough to turn you away. As a complete package, the Moto X makes a compelling argument to be worth your $199 on-contract with the carrier of your choice. Unknown, though, is how it'll hold up in the long term.

Best oversized phone - LG Optimus G Pro

It's getting harder and harder to define what an "oversized" phone is nowadays. Screen sizes keep creeping up by fractions of an inch, but bezels and overall device sizes seem to get smaller or at least stay the same. No matter where you draw that line personally, there are still many people out there for which phones of the Optimus G Pro's size at 5.5-inches just won't work on a daily basis.

That doesn't mean that it isn't a great choice for those who are willing to make that size tradeoff. The Optimus G Pro has leapfrogged the Galaxy Note 2 in terms of display, camera and raw performance (considering that it was released many months after the Note 2) and offers a compelling package overall. Although its availability is limited in the U.S. to just AT&T, with international availability looking a bit better, the Optimus G Pro is the better choice if you have the chance.

Best value - LG Nexus 4

The Nexus 4 may be nearly a year old, but it still ranks highly with any of the handsets in this list.

Google released the Nexus 4 with every bit of quality specs required for late 2012 — Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB of RAM, 768x1280 4.75-inch display — along with a svelte glass and plastic design with just a little bit of flair that fit the "Nexus" name perfectly. The Nexus 4 may have been on sale now for almost 11 months, but we still think it ranks right up there in terms of quality with any of the handsets in this list. As our own Jerry Hildenbrand said, "The Nexus 4 is still the best way to experience Android," and we still agree with that sentiment.

When you add in the fact that you can buy one unlocked right now for either $299 or $349 direct from Google Play, it's the best deal in smart phones today. We know that it may not have the fancy camera and speakers of the HTC One, or the crazy laundry list of features of the Galaxy S4, but if you're an Android purist and need a phone that just works the way you expect it to day in and day out, the Nexus 4 should be on your list.

Honorable mentions

While the above phones take top honors for being the best phones available, it's really unfair to not give the nod to a few other great devices that have their own redeeming qualities.

HTC One Mini

Many of the reasons why we still love the HTC One carry over to its smaller sibling, the HTC One Mini. It is essentially the same device, with a few hardware omissions to keep the size and price down. Stepping down to this 4.3-inch handset, you'll lose the IR port, NFC, a bit of processing power and OIS on the camera, but we found that the experience on the Mini is still nearly identical to its larger counterpart.

You're still getting a fantastic screen and build quality, front-facing stereo speakers that sound great (albeit not as loud as the original) and a camera that is more than acceptable with the same software features that are fun to use.

The HTC One Mini has been available only internationally until now, but has also made its way to AT&T for $100 on-contract. It packs a slightly higher price tag than its mid-range counterparts from other manufactures, but we can still easily recommend it as a great option for someone wanting a less expensive or smaller handset with great build quality and features.

Sony Xperia Z and Xperia ZL

Sony's latest high-end devices, the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL, were announced all the way back at CES in January and took a while to come out, but they have a lot going for them even now in August. Both handsets are basically the same, with slight differences in build materials and availability, and offer very high quality cameras and a great software experience.

Unfortunately, both Xperias come up short in terms of display quality when compared to the leading panels on phones like the HTC One. But if you're okay with a middle-of-the-road display you'll be rewarded with a great overall experience in these devices — they have solid battery life, design and camera quality going for them.

You can find both from a variety of sources internationally, and for those of us in the U.S. you can pick up the Xperia Z directly from T-Mobile or buy either model unlocked from Sony directly (for once).

Motorola Droid MAXX

Motorola is taking its latest Droids in a new direction to fall in line with the new Moto X, and the experience is vastly improved over what you traditionally find for Verizon's Droid-branded phones. The software experience is much the same as the Moto X, with all of the latest features that you've been hearing about and a quality camera to boot.

The Droid Mini, Ultra and MAXX all have different strengths, but we find that if you're willing to spend the money the Droid MAXX is the best choice of the three. You're getting better build materials, an insanely great battery, 16GB of additional storage and wireless charging when compared to the Droid Ultra, making the extra $100 in price seem like less of an issue.

If the up-front price really is that big of a factor (we encourage you to do the math and consider otherwise), you're going to get a good experience with the Droid Ultra at $199 as well.

At this point in time we have a seriously solid set of devices to choose from no matter your location, carrier or feature preferences, and that's the best part about making up these lists. For the months ahead, we'll be looking forward to the impending announcement of a Galaxy Note 3, an HTC One "Max" and whatever the next Nexus phone may be, but we're not expecting the phone landscape to drastically change until we push towards 2014. Shout out in the comments and let us know how you feel about the choices we've made for the best Android Phones as of August 2013.

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This is my issue with the "Best Phone" article. AC is so inconsistent in rating them. In one review you say specs aren't important in another you say the phone XYZ is better because of better specs. In others you mention how looks alone make the phone. In comparing the oversized phone you don't even mention the Note has a wacom stylus that gives very precise accuracy.

*sigh* that's such a tired argument. SD cards are useless except for media storage and downloaded files. They don't expand your device's total storage. It's like giving you a PC with barely enough room for the OS, and an unlimited supply of flash drives. Not even close to the same.

I'm in a similar boat as you. The Note 2 (my phone) is only available in 16 GB on my carrier, but I have 40 GB of music.

But, as I pointed out, media storage is one of the few things an SD card CAN do.

Or do you have some magic setting that I don't, that allows you to move OS bloat to the SD Card, or install complete apps to the SD card? How about install OTA updates to an SD card? Keep the device from slowing down as. Internal storage fills up? Well, the S4 advertises the second functionality, but you still need enough free space to install it in the first place, and it only moves SOME of the app data to the SD card. The rest are basically idle fantasy to anyone not willing to do some heavy OS modding.

I'm not saying 0 internal storage and an SD card can't work for some people, but don't pretend it's better.

Yeah. It's called "root your phone and move apps to the sdcard with Titanium Backup" setting. That's hardly "heavy OS modding". 2 phones, both w/ 16GB internal storage, but 1 allows for a 64GB sd card. Yeah. That is better. Learn how to use your phone and you'll see. You can also use Titanium Backup to remove "bloat" by freezing it from working and using memory, or by uninstalling and deleting it.

Yeah, titanium backup doesn't move an app to SD. Apps to SD hasn't been possible since 4.0 came out. There have been S4 type workarounds, but really all those do is move the extraneextraneous data to the SD card. The bulk of the app stays on Internal storage. Really the only practical way to use an SD card to give yourself more fully usable storage space is a SD card / Internal storage swap. This falls under more advanced system mods, as it has above average risk to your device along with it. And, in nearly all cases, it will never be as fast as your Internal storage. That's why even the creators of the mods only recommend using it in certain scenarios - say, for devices like the Transformer prime, with really shitty Internal storage.

I'll take 64 GB of built in storage over a tiny amount of built in storage plus a 64 GB microSD card any day. The HTC One even allows you to perform a factory reset without wiping your storage, unlike Nexus devices without a microSD card.

What some call bloatware another uses as their major interface for the phone. I have spoken to blind people using SVoice are pretty happy there is a PHYSICAL home button to feel. Its also hard to have relatively seemless tablet integration when HTC doesn't make tablets. I don't see how THE BEST android smartphone could not have native tablet integration, as android use on tablets is far outweighing app use on smartphones... but sure

Any android phone that by its nature does away with a priority for widget performance, external storage, and the very notion of "convergence" that fueled Android before Google ever bought it does not deserve this title - unless you are biased against a phone with a software profile that rivals a laptop, includes a media remote, and presents accessibility features that rival what animal assistance legally will allow. Would it also help it is the most environmentally friendly phone on the planet in production? Prolly not, because "teh tuchwyz suxxors."

As a left-handed person - HTC is an insufferable pain. As a low vision consultant, HTC is insensitive. As a technophile, HTC is boring and scratches with car keys - so has to be put in a case to continue to look pretty. A phone case adds weight - so why not make the phone as light as possible, out of environmentally friendly materials? But HTC has had a horror story on its hands - I mean a phone which loses phone signal when held in the left hand, which is at the heart of embezzling?

Mind you, your personal vote doesn't have to be Samsung - that is not my point - but your criteria are VERY shallow for what is BEST. I enjoy this site and would like to see a bit more thought put into what makes a good phone, for the world, the global community, the ethics of business, the performance of novices, and the demands of advanced users.

As for camera - the major key to camera is ALL geometry - learn how to take a picture and you can take a better pic with a 4 MP than someone else can with a 13 MP. For the Speakers, I use my car stereo and my Sol Republics by Noel Lee and his son - the people who created Beats and after getting pushed out now stomp Beats into the pavement as they bring integrity back from the ashes of Monster Cable.

I'm seriously considering either it or the Note III as my next phone. It'll be running CM10 in a matter of hours after I get it. I'm done with phones with batteries you can't pull, and I've never gone for phones without removable storage. I learned my lesson the hard way about the battery and was relieved that I didn't have all of my stuff on the internal memory.

Would be good if you say why you think it is. I've got an htc one, iPhone 5 and s4, which I get for work purposes. Of these the s4 is the most disappointing. Battery life is 2/3rds of the htc one (with the iPhone in the middle)- I can buy extra batteries for the s4 but I prefer a phone that gets me through the day and the s4 doesn't (and I had spare note 2 batteries which I rarely used, preferring to charge on a PC, and they don't fit the s4- bad one Sammy). I'm doing mostly emails, browsing and listening to audio. Audio quality on the s4 is best described as passable compared to the htc one. The camera on the s4 is good indoors . But the worst thing in the s4 is the occasional lag,presumably due to touchwiz, and more noticeable because of the htc one and i5 that I also use. Screen visibility on the s4 outdoors is non existent compared to the other two (though nice indoors). So it does depend on what's important to you as to which phone is best.i am hoping though that the s5 will be a LOT better than the s4.

Are you actually trying to help consumers who are shopping pick a new phone? Just toe the Google+carrier line by helping to sell phones that are better for them, at the expense of the consumer? Or just waste bandwidth spurring debates among people who already have made their choices?

If you want to actually help consumers who are shopping, don't you think it would be useful to tell those consumers which of these phones allow you to replace the battery? You are aware that Li-Ion batteries (as all these phones have) degrade over time, right? In typical usage, they will lose 20% capacity in 1 year.

And don't you also think it would be useful for consumers to know which phones can have their storage expanded by use of a microSD card? Many consumers don't have Unlimited Data and would rather store their media on the phone than pay their carrier every single time they stream the media that they already own from the Cloud.

Is there any phone in this review besides the Galaxy S4 that lets the user replace the battery easily once the original loses too much capacity? AND lets the user add a microSD card to store their music, game data, map data, pictures, selected app, videos, etc, so they don't have to pay to stream some of these things from the Cloud?

Calm down before you hurt yourself. These aren't reviews of each phone. A savvy consumer will read this article and then check out the devices that pique their interest, including finding in-depth reviews of those devices. People who base their decisions off of a single article probably don't care about all of those points you mentioned anyway.

Waaaa waaaaa Waaaa like a baby. Intelligent people have moved on past this over discussed issue. The average consumer doesn't use that much space and typically the battery lasts them all day. Power users such as yourself NEED to realize this and LET IT GO PLEASE!

AC has written reviews on these phones so if you spend some time and go into the review section you can read these excellent reviews of each one that will answer your questions. The title does not state review of all the following phone but that it is what AC feels are the top contenders at this point of the year. They have done the reviews for you now just spend some time searching the section to read them.

I wound up getting a Droid Maxx at full price to keep my unlimited data. If I just took the subsidized price and went with a capped data plan, all I would save is $400 on the phone. Since I'd have to change to a family share plan, my bill would have gone up about $60 a month. No thanks. Plus I'm contract free on 2 of my 5 lines so when they take it away, and they will, I will have the option to move on. I paid $750 for the phone but minus what I get for my Note 2 sounds like a sweet long term deal for me!Btw it seemed like I had to jump through hoops to keep the unlimited even though I bought the phone outright. It's only a matter of time before it's gone.

In the same boat as you with unlimited data on vzw, I like the Droid maxx with twice the power and 32 gb, but I may go with the Moto X dev edition that will have 32 GB and it has a black and white body which I have always wanted on a phone but it will be unlockable unlike the Droid Maxx but the Maxx has a 46 hr battery which is great for a power user

I had a Galaxy Note 2 and sold it and got a Nexus4. I don't miss the removable battery or the sd card slot. AC helped aid me in making the decision of which phone to get in place of my Note 2. So they definitely helped me. Just remember just because a removable battery and SD slot are what you need... you are not everyone. I am also a consumer.

Wow, I haven't heard too many people getting rid of their Note 2 for what could be considered a bit of a downgrade, or at least side grade. But, i suppose if the size is a problem there isn't much you can do about it.

I got rid of my Note 2 for the Droid Maxx, I don't regret the decision. The Note 2 was starting to feel cumbersome. The Maxx has better battery life in a more manageable size, and the interface is buttery smooth. Great job Motorola.

Just bought the Nexus 4, for the $100 discount, not as powerful as the Nexus 5, with 4G and 1080p, but still fabulous chip, GPU, RAM, a price performance wonder, not as good as my Nexus 7 FHD, but it also works as a phone.

Take a chill pill... None of those things are a strong point as you seem to think.

I have the HTC One, I used to have a Galaxy S3. Did I use a SD card? Yes, I had a 64 GB SanDisk class 10 which got roasted by my phone. Luckily I had back ups of my important pictures IN THE CLOUD. Did I have a spare battery? Yes I did, a waste of money as never had the need to change it. Does it worry me that the built it battery will lose charging capacity? Not at all, let whom ever buys it from me in 18 months worry about that.

The S4 is a great phone, don't get mad with the good folks here at AC over their preferences. Opinions are opinions, follow yours and let everyone else keep theirs.

Replaceable battery and an SD card does not make a phone good. I would take 32 gig on-board any day vs. 16 gig and SD card. How many people actually buy multiple batteries for their phone? Probably some but more often than not they will probably buy an extra charger before a $60+ dollar battery.

EXACTLY! My external charger will charge micro USB, mini USB, and IPhone. I can get about two full device charges out of one charge too. That is a lot more practical, and less invasive, than a spare battery. I can not understand why people prefer swapping batteries to just connecting an external.

This x 10000. Also, it already has TRIM support even though it's still on (a rock solid) 4.1.2 version of Jelly Bean. Hey, OP, now that you can move apps to sd, how many of them actually let you do it? The cloud is there for a reason, and I don't want to hear about network constraints. Get a carrier that works and use it.

You do realize that there are a TON of people out there that don't care about removable batteries and SD card slots right? This is AC's opinion. The SD slot and removable battery pushes the S4 in front, which is your opinion. See how those things work?

The AC crew get regular requests from readers asking them what's the best phone and why. Those requests don't want a big lecture on how to select a phone and why. They just want them to get off the pot and select one and that's what they are doing here. For those that disagree they list a few alternatives along with a blurb about why you might select that one.

Yes this is highly subjective, but a lot of people respect Phil, Jerry, Alex, Andrew and Andrew's opinions. They get to actually spend quality time with each of these which is more than almost all of the reader base.

You don't agree with their choice. That's okay I don't either (I did last time though) but I'm not insulted. You shouldn't be either.

And as for the removable battery and SD card those issues are over rated and clearly the AC crew didn't think it was significant enough to emphasise.

As someone else has already said in the comments, common ways of running short of storage on a phone can't be solved by a SD card. And people's storage needs vary wildly.

As for removable batteries, I consider myself a moderate power user. A couple years ago, I thought this was an important feature. But I've spent the last almost 2 years with a phone with a non-removable battery and haven't seen a bit of a negative. Batteries have improved, and the external, portable batteries that you simply plug in the microUSB port to charge your phone are fine for many/most people. (Arguably, the external batteries are better, in that you don't need to worry about your phone powering off as you remove & replace the battery.)

If your sealed-in battery lost too much capacity in one year, it takes a visit to the nearest service centre, or a even a local mobile service shop you trust, to have it replaced in about half hour. Most people change phones faster than their batteries lose capacity noticeably. And SD cards are going the way of the dodo, whether you like it or not. I for one, would rather have limited local storage that is secure than having files and photos on a removable SD card. The Android filesystem has to be hacked together with other filesystems to accommodate SD cards. An unnecessary nuisance. You get 64 freaking GBs on phones like the One, how much more do you really need? Stop with your outdated rants already..

I couldn't get past the image burn-in on the S4, I use my phone a lot for business, and pleasure. 300+ emails a day, 150 SMS messages, 200+ Hangouts/WhatsApp/KiK messages. Plus the front facing speakers make conference calls enjoyable! This was a great choice for the best phone in my opinion!

you never used the galaxy nexus did you?....lol its the main reason I dont want to buy AMOLED next time. after 2 years with the phone, any time i watch a video i get a nice purple tint to the image on the left and right borders where the navigation and status bar usually are. couple that with wanting to hide both of them during day to day use (expanded desktop FTW) and they are very noticable to an OCD android freak.

other than that though, i have no burn in...but i have ghosting all over the place. mostly noticable when i hide my keyboard and go back to the home screen....its terrible. i still love my G-nex though

I experienced severe burn in on my gnex and it showed up just a few months after getting the device. If I had the brightness set above average to max, I couldn't really tell as much but when the screen brightness was set to medium to low it was painfully obvious.

It does happen. It is more image persistence than burn in though. If you turn your a screen off enough or use enough apps that change the image on the entire screen you don't notice it. The galaxy nexus and any phone that uses on screen nav buttons will show it the worst though. IPS screens like the transformer prime and I imagine the nexus 4 can even have it.

I have stayed out of this thread on purpose, mostly because it is click bait and argument central but I have had quite a few Samsung phones over the last few years and never had an image burn. I know the OP of this sub thread said S4, but it sounds like a GNEX issues from the other posts.

We gave it our full review treatment, and found it can't stack up against these phones listed above. It has a lot of good points, but it falls short in terms of software and ergonomics. Not to mention that it's not available in nearly as many places as these other devices.

At this point in the year, if I hadn't bought a phone as yet, I'd wait for next month and later. Sony is releasing the Honami (Z1) and Z Ultra. Samsung is releasing he Note 3. HTC the One Max and of course Google with the Nexus 5. All the phones listed are nice in their own way but again a new generation of phones are coming in the next few months.

How exactly does the nexus4 even deserve a spot on the list since it's a phone that was released in 2012? In that case, why not include the s3 which has a bunch of power under the hood and lots of the same features as the new galaxy and is free thru most carriers now. And seriously.... Motorola X? Cmon... Overpriced and over rated. Certainly not one of the best three phones of the year..

Can you get a brand new unlocked s3 for $300, Nexus4 is still the best value even in 2013. Also have you tried the MotoX? From people who have actually tried it extensively, I have read mostly but good things. I think both of your discrepancies are inaccurate, but that is just me.

Just because it's an unlocked phone and reasonably priced doesn't make it "the best", it makes it a "good deal". And s3 can basically be had for the same price as a Nexus4 at this point. Galaxy3 might not be unlocked but it's got better specs than a nexus4 and can be had free from basically every carrier and found very inexpensively on the Internet.
And I have played around with a Motorola X and even though I found it to be a nice phone and easyto use, it certainly shouldn't be considered one of the best phones out there. The camera downright sucks on it and it's very Overpriced. Hell, I would much rather have a nexus4 over a Motorola X and the moto costs twice as much. At best it's a mid level phone that let's ppl pick thier case color. Not worth $600 off contract.

I have to comment on the camera for the Moto X. How do you know how good it is if you only played around with it for a little bit? I took my Droid Maxx(which has the same internal specs as the X except for the battery)camping this weekend and took video and pictures all day in the sunlight, low light and the dark. I thought they came out great, better than I expected. I was pleasantly surprised as the camera was a concern by many.

Not really. Half the carriers? That is still two of the big four. No LTE? The average consumer hears that thrown around a lot but likely has no clue what it actually is, much less care to know or actually have a need for it.

The average consumer wants a phone that can make calls, send and receive messages and check in on Twitter/Facebook. As well as play media and take pictures/videos. Nothing more, nothing less.

Don't state what's best for the average consumer when it's obvious you don't actually know.

The Nexus 4 is the best value. It has better specs then the GS3, better price off contract, will always get updates from Google for awhile and is better built. I think it still comes up on this list because it's still the best value smartphone for the specs you get and price it's listed for as well as being the best way to enjoy pure stock Android and get OTA updates directly from Google.

Since I'm not planning to use my handheld device to navigate an imperial battle cruiser through the universe, the N4 is all the phone I now or am likely to need. It's a great product and does everything I want from a smartphone. The value-to-capability ratio is unparalleled.

I agree, it's a great phone for the price. More phone than half the people reading this probably even need. But if they're going to post an article about "the best" phone I'm expecting it to be more about specs than value. Is it the best deal? Maybe. But getting the best deal doesn't always equate the product being the best overall.

I have to go Galaxy S4, HTC One then Moto X. The Moto X is awesome for what it is but those specs don't come close to the GS4 or One. I put the S4 over the One because of the removable storage and battery. The plastic on the phone doesn't bother me as I keep it in a plastic case 90% of the time anyway and I never drop my phone.

the htc one brings prestige to the android phones. it was the only phone that finally encouraged me to take the plunge and abandon the iphone and ios after so many years. the htc one x almost convinced me last year when i learnt about what was to be the iphone 5, but the htc one was the phone to finally push me over.

Htc One
Build Quality
Style (My personal preference)
64gb onboard storage (developer edition)
Boom Sound
Zoe & Highlight features
Fast (Out of all the htc phones with sense overlay, this one has been the fastest and most stable)

I've reached the point where specs are no longer that important to me. Most modern phones all run fluidly with little to no lag. Call me shallow, but I went with htc one for it's style, features, onboard memory (I no longer have a need for micro sd cards), and performance (I get 12-15 hours with moderate to heavy usage). All good enough for me.

It all comes down to preference at this point. I agree with the post but had it been the S4 i'd still agree. As someone who's compared both phones i do think the One is the better phone. As much as i loved my S3 i absolutely hated the cheap feel and design of it and that was by far my number 1 gripe on it. Unfortunately, Samsung didn't feel the same way as the S4 is also plastic. The One's aluminum body to me was Androids first premium feeling phone when compared to others. Theres no excuse for cheap plastic Sammy when everyone else is using much more exotic materials. And i personally didn't care about the sd card or removable battery. I have unlimited data

I went with the Optimus G Pro, you just cant beat the beautiful 5.5" 1080p IPS display, 32gb of internal storage, and every other nook and cranny modern phones have for less than $100, $60 @Amazon, yes your locked in for two years but still, such an amazing phone, with the Qi charging built in, Multi-colored Led home button, I can go on and on.

I still don't understand how the one keeps beating out the s4..Better camera, removable battery, sd card slot, beautiful screen, etc. The only thing the one has over the s4 is built quality and that's questionable to me.

These things come down to preference. You Removable battery/SD slot people seem to harp on nothing else. I kind of hope that Samsung stops putting those features on their phones just to watch the slow motion implosion that you guys would go through.

The HTC One is hardly beating the S4 compared the sales numbers lately for the One and the S4? Do that and then get back to me about who is beating who. Hint: S4 became the best selling Android in history this spring. In August, HTC managed to revert back to pre One financial numbers. HTC is in a financial freefall. Opinions may vary but numbers don't lie.

Just got the new Droid Maxx and I really think it is the sleeper phone of this group.
- It's well built
- Insane battery life with built in wireless charging
- Screen is excellent even though it is 720
- Camera is very good. Best Moto camera I have ever seen by far.
- Lightning fast. I have had it for almost a week and have had zero lag.
- About as stock a version of Android you will get outside of a Nexus. All Verizon apps can be disabled.
- All the great features introduced on the Moto X. Active display is a killer feature in my opinion. You really can't understand how great it is until you use it for a few days.

All in all while the external package still has the makings of the Droid, the software has Google's fingerprints all over it and it works very well with the hardware. It's a winner.

Love my Verizon S4 aside from the fact that it's ALREADY showing some signs of burn-in on the screen. This is the last time I'll settle for an AMOLED screen unless I absolutely have to. I love the way they look but they just degrade way too easily, and the bad outdoor visibility is also kind of a bummer. Kind of wish I waited for the One for this reason, but I probably still would have picked the S4. Each has features I wish the other one would have included, but those available on only the S4 trumped those only on the One for me.

This has been rated the best phone since it's release!!! and Icontacted Otterbox to see if they are gonna make the armor series and I got a response that not at this moment. So hey Lifeproof dont miss the opertunity to cash in $$$$ amke a LP for the HTC ONE

The Motorola Droid MAXX probably wasn't included due to it being a Verizon exclusive but for my money, it is the perfect blend of good specs, good screen, great battery, storage space, and very close to pure Android. I absolutely love it. Best bang for the buck in my opinion.

I like my S4 more every day. Didn't care for the way the One felt in my hand, didn't think the screen was as nice as the S4, the cameras can't even be compared. Also, U.S. HTC Ones are still running Android 4.1, whenever I mentioned that back in June I got "that update is do out in a few weeks dude", that was more than 2 months ago. HTC = "Had To Change".

"We've hit a point in the year where most of the major manufacturers have had their biggest devices out in the market for a bit, and even the late-comers have dropped their entry into the 2013 smartphone game. This is about as "mature" as the market is going to get in the year before a new wave of devices gets ready to hit, so it really is a great time to evaluate where each one stands".

The LG G2 comes out in less then 3 weeks! Plus as mentioned above the new Sony and then of course the next BIG phones the Note 3 and One Max.

None of the phones are actually on-sale and many of them are unannounced. You have to draw the line and say that "at this point in time, these are what we find to be the best phones." As we all know, if you keep waiting for that next thing we'd never be able to make a list like this.

I am more interested in the LG G2 which has been announced and is being released Sept 12th, less than 3 weeks from now.

I get what you are saying and maybe you should have started the article by saying "we are drawing the line" instead of "and even the late-comers have dropped their entry into the 2013 smartphone game" which is not really true.

I just can't get over the absolutely pathetic notification light HTC uses. It even times out after 5 minutes if you haven't checked the notification which makes it absolutely worthless, at least it did all the way up to the HTC One X/EVO LTE. That is the only reason I switched to Samsung which uses a nice multicolored light that never times out prematurely.

My Nexus 4 is great, really wouldn't trade it for any device right now. Have no use for any of the gimmicks in the overbloated S4 or One. I find most of them in both devices completely useless in my needs. If they fit other consumers needs, that's great, but neither are for me. And I don't need the Google play editions when my N4 already does that better.

The only other devices I'd even consider right now would be the LG G2 or MotoX. But really I'm not sure either of those offer much more than what my N4 can already do, so it'll likely be 2014 until the next major round of devices roll out before an upgrade will really sufficiently matter. While I have bemoaned the motox as a mid tier device, I can really appreciate that they are taking a mostly stock android approach to the device. A few hardware upgrades down the road and I think it could be a solid power play.

While I really enjoy being able to replace a failed or tiring battery in my S4 the truth is I prolly won't have it long enough to need the option. Micro SD is nice and I like it but if I only had 64GB of internal storage I'd be happy enough. Everyone has different needs and preferences. As far as displays go I was looking at my wife's iPhone 4 while she was typing and I thought, "My God, that's a beautiful screen." I've never thought that about my Note 2, S4, or this Note 8.0.

That's funny. When I see the iPhone 4's midget 3.5 inch screen, I say "ewww!" to myself while I squint to see what's on it.

Then I say "ewwww" when I user that awful keyboard that doesn't even graphically change letter case when you type and forces you to flip back and forth to a second screen for punctuation and numbers. Then I saw "ewwww!" when I realize that all I can do with the home screen is stare at a grid of apps all day long.

...I have stayed out of it for a change. Of course I havent bought a phone yet this year because none of them are a major improvement over my SGS3. No bloat, fast Sprint LTE and an upgrade in my pocket waiting for a phone that is a serious jump up.

How long has it been since you were on Sprint? I have two pieces of bloat on my unrooted HTC EVO LTE; Sprint Zone, and Sprint Music. Both of those can be disabled. Also, there is not a hint of NASCAR anywhere on my phone.

What? Aren't all the Google Edition phones the same software-wise (except some tiny little specific features)?
I still don't understand why would people buy a GE phone, stripped of all the features specifically designed for it, for the same price as the non-GE one, instead of buying a Nexus 4.
But hey, everyone has different tastes :)

I'm very happy with my HTC One. I spent some time with the Galaxy S4 and while I thought it was a handsome phone, I couldn't get over the fact it was less responsive than the HTC One. Four months later and I have to say this is the most solid phone I've ever owned. If I had to do it all over again, I would buy another HTC One.

I cant disagree more with your first choice the htc one. I bought one and it had dead pixels on the screen, took it back got another one and it had dead pixels. Plus the sound is off on video as well. That was enough for me. I bought a galaxy s4 and love it. I have not looked back.

Because it has the cleanest and best Android experience. Because it has the most modern software. Because it is the most secure Android device. Because it's build quality is second only to the ONE. Because it has an unbeatable price.

The nexus 4 is available for more than your stated amount in countries with no access to the play store so when you're to rank a phone "best value" be less parochial.
p.s. The ONE is really the best by a small margin.

I also find it funny how the nexus 4 makes the cut but no mention of the LG optimus g... That phone is a beast with no love on the major market.. I was not a fan of LG at all until i got to spend some time with the optimus g... Can't wait for the G2...but the Optimus G should have made this list..

You know, for my money, I think that the Galaxy S III is still a very viable option for those on a budget and is still a very powerful beast. Now, it may be a little long in the tooth, but it still is holding strong compared to all the other newer phones that are out. The S IV is still all over the place everytime I'm on the train or in the city, but I still see more Galaxy S III phones around. It's like this decade's version of the Nokia 3390.

In think the list is a great choice of phones.... I would have to say that I loved my nexus 4 over the galaxy 4. If only the nexus would have had the LTE version I would have stuck with it. Ah well...hurray for jump from t mobile.

Oh yeh, The Nexus 4 is the best phone to experience Android if you don't run any apps. Reason why is there just isn't any freaken storage on board. Jerry says it's the best so it must be, just carry around a storage stick and make damn sure it's rooted. Oh yeh, don't run any new modern games or the phone won't have any room for anything else. But it's the best phone. I wonder why they don't add storage, it only costs pennies while it's under construction?? They might even sell a few if they did, I wonder why they don't?? Bet it's because they want to rent you their Movies, just a guess. Whatever the reason, it's fucking dumb and it shows because no one is buying the phone.

You haven't posted ANY facts. As all trolls do, you post speculation and opinion as facts.

The fact is, you don't know how much the Nexus 4 sold, and you can't provide any verifiable data to prove your statements.

For a phone that got little carrier support and practically no marketing, the phone so amazingly well. Regardless, that's not the reason why the phone deserves to be on this list. It deserves to be on this list because it's the best value on the list and of any phone.

It all you want, but there's no denying that Nexus 4 is the best value around.

From the XDA thread keeping track of the N4 sales, they were at 720K in sales 4 months after release. Phone sales reach their peak at launch not 6 months later. For it to hit "millions" it would basically have to increase launch day sales by 200%.

Do you really think that happened?

Fact:

I think the N4 was disappointing for many reasons. Lack of storage, lack of being on all carriers (yes I know the CDMA issues), a camera not on par with others, and a few other reasons do not make up for "oooohh, I get to beta test 4.3 before all the other suckers"!!!

Lack of carrier support and no marketing is Googles idea.

Besides all that, I even sasid it in this thread, it is the best phone for the money. I would just rather pay more for a phone that does what I need it to do.

If I didn't need the features my SGS3 has, I would consider the N4. WHy yes, I do use the gimmicks and find them very useful

You haven't posted ANY facts. As all trolls do, you post speculation and opinion as facts.

The fact is, you don't know how much the Nexus 4 sold, and you can't provide any verifiable data to prove your statements.

For a phone that got little carrier support and practically no marketing, the phone so amazingly well. Regardless, that's not the reason why the phone deserves to be on this list. It deserves to be on this list because it's the best value on the list and of any phone.

It all you want, but there's no denying that Nexus 4 is the best value around.

I have to disagree on the g pro. The waycom digitizer specialy made for the spen plus the multitasking plus the fact that the note2 will get the s4 features far outways the little bump in specs and screen.

Impossible, there's no way the Moto X is better than the Galaxy S4 because specs are much inferior in comparison, yeah Motorola made a very good phone, a very good experience but IMO there's no comparison.

The camera on the S4 is much better, the screen is also better, for me that means a lot.
Processors and RAM don't really matter if the phone is fast but hey, you do notice camera and screen.

In addition to that you have to take into account that the Moto X is only available in the US, and if I'm not wrong only on the 3 major carriers... So, what about availability?

I go for s4 though,not because i own one, but because i never cared about it being plastic like what others are always complaining about..phones used to be all plastic before...we have our own preferences..so LoL

Let's face it though ALL these phones are sick. And thank god for android for giving us the option to choose. I still cant believe people still use Iphones. But I really think the way things are compared need to change. For average consumers could compare iphone to motox for pure simplicity and fluidity. But for power users like us (lets face it if we weren't we wouldnt be on this site) every person has thier own special needs. You cant really compare my need for a big screen with an ATTACHED pen to someone else's need for loud speakers. Or one persons need for alot of camera features to someone elses love for a straight google experience. In any case thank you Google for giving us options galore and thank you ac for the on slot of consistent goodness. ANDROID CENTRAL GOT ME PREGNANT.

This Article Has No Cred Whatsoever..
Because,
My Huawei Prism II DID NOT make the list as a "Best Value" phone.
It has a Stunning Screen (Actual Res Doesn't Matter) a Lightening Fast 1 GHZ Processor, A 32Gb Micro SD Card Slot with Batterylife that last for DAYS..
And best of all...

It Only Cost: $89.99.. Free & Clear of Contracts. Put it on T-Mo's $30.00 a Month Plan and you are good to go.
That's Value.

Not only is the One the best phone I have ever had, it is the best tablet (slightly bet than my original nexus 7),the best laptop (when coupled with a keyboard and mouse), and the best remote control (when coupled with my chromecast). And now that they have all but promised a 4.3 upgrade, I am even more in love with it... Especially after my Motorola Photon got stranded on gingerbread.

If this column is design to provide advice, or point to the current state of the market/industry for Android phones, it frankly is terrible. If it's designed to churn the debate lines for Android readers, well it might have more value.

HTC One:
The top phone (HTC One) is touted for its screen, camera, the fact that it has a GE edition, its "compelling set of features," and its ubiquitous availability.

There are no caveats to the excellence of this wonder phone in this review. In spite of no SD card slot, non-changable (smaller) battery, slower CPU, smaller screen and a rather strange UI that will stop even experienced HTC users in their tracks until they figure out where HTC has put everything.

MOTO X:
(NB: The AC article's Photo caption presents runners up as Samsung Galaxy S4, then Motorola Moto X, but the S4 write up states otherwise. -which is what the author intended?)

But Really? The number two android phone in the world today is the Moto X? The supporting criteria provided by the author amaze:
- "a few lackluster specs.."
- [a camera that] "doesn't completely live up to the hype"
- "better battery life" (that's it?)
- [An] "Active display /touchless control that can be a lifesaver" {is this for 911, 999 or something?)
- a design experience that is "nothing to complain about."

The writer's enthusiastic sales pitch notwithstanding, there frankly isn't much even presented in this article to induce readers to spend top price money for this mediocre phone.

Galaxy S4:
The third place S4 review was curious. It was the only review with overt negatives like: "We still have a hard time enjoying the glossy plastic feel" [and] "The downside to so many features is a bit of software fatigue that can only be described as frustrating." (oh, and the (corrected) lag issue. . . )

- This review did credit the phone's ubiquitous availability and did label it a "great all-around phone," but subsequently damned it again with "It comes in behind the HTC One and Moto X in this list."

- Oh, according to this review, there are no "extra points' for the GE of the S4; It appears that's a plus reserved only for the HTC One! (?)

Enough.

Can this be a credible article when by specifications, availability, options and even popularity, one of the top three phones should not be there (let alone number two)?

Is it really AC's professional opinion that the top selling phone of the year (by a large order of magnitude), is a "meh" also-ran option behind a (rather good) sharp new-style HTC and an incredibility mediocre Moto X?

"Is it really AC's professional opinion that the top selling phone of the year (by a large order of magnitude), is a "meh" also-ran option behind a (rather good) sharp new-style HTC and an incredibility mediocre Moto X?"

Toyota Corollas outsell Bentley Continentals probably about five thousand to one, but you'd have a hard time getting anyone to believe that a Corolla is a better car than a Continental.

Sold my S3 and bought the One and haven't regretted it one day since. The One just works....in the way my old iphones did, but much faster and better.

The S3 did such stupid things. It gave me low battery warnings and left the screen on to burn more energy! Stupid! The One feels like someone actually used the phone before releasing it and not just added a bunch of useless features.

I went with the S4 for pretty much one reason - pedigree. HTC has a history of pretty much nothing. I've owned two of their duds - the Eris and the Thunderbolt. I have no doubt that the One is a great phone, but when looking at accessories for the phone, reputation of the company, consistency with updates, etc, I had to choose the S4. Samsung has consistently made good-to-great phones, with many S2's and S3's still out there. They continue to support their phones. They know what they're doing - they're working to STAY on top while HTC is working to stay alive.

If HTC can show some consistency with the One and subsequent models, then I'll be happy to give them a chance. But for now, I gotta go with the company that is on top with pretty much all of their electronics and certainly with their phones.

Of course you will never get everyone to agree with your conclusions in an article like this, but I think most of us enjoy them just the same. Now, what's the chance that we could get a similar article about tablets?

I go with galaxy s4, HTC does not push updates timely like Samsung and owning a nexus...I want my updates. And I really want a 5 inch phone, idc if its oversatured I own a One S (amoled display). Even though I really love the One I wouldn't get it. HTC owner of a year now and the experience is not up to my standards

S4 best phone.... Camera and removable battery and most accessories is what average ppl care about
... I throw events all around my city every party I go to all my friends with iPhones and other androids always make me take pictures and send them to they phone s4 camera is unmatched... And to be able to replace battery at party or wedding reception is much needed....

There's no such thing as "the best Android phone." At most, there's "the best Android phone for you" or "for me."

If an SD card is very important, then the One isn't the "best." If the ability to run an extended battery, or change batteries during the day is important, ditto.

You can't define the best anything without knowing the user's needs. All you're doing is transferring your needs (or, in reality, your preferences) to everyone else.

For me, the ability to swap batteries has saved my bacon on occasion (and that of my iPhone toting compatriots, who had to borrow my phone when theirs went dark). And when the battery in my Samsung developed a defect, the ability to swap in a $5 aftermarket battery kept me going. Had that happened with the htc, it would have resulted in a warranty repair, and probably a month without the phone. That capability is far more important to me that the "awesome" one piece construction of the htc.

Geez, the htc-one lovers sound just like the iPhone fans we make fun of. The htc One is a very nice phone. So is the S4, and probably the Moto X. But I think AC is overly influenced by form, rather than function.

It has little to do with the exterior and everything to do with software. Touchwiz is clearly what cripples the s4. People who haven't used the one extensively don't understand that it's the software that makes it so good. The beautiful exterior is just an added bonus.

I personally hate the stock experience on the One and would be immediately flashing CM after bringing it home. I've been using my S4 since the day it was released on Verizon and while I'll admit TW is huge and has some unnecessary features, my experience was not bad. My phone was FAST and everything worked. It wasn't until about a week later that my crack flashing itch started and I had to flash an AOSP rom.

still use my N4 for personal use/WiFi but had to move on from TMo so went with the S4. I'm anxious to see how the next update takes care of some of the issues, and the radio is unacceptable for a high end phone.

Overall it's a really nice phone, with room for improvement. I give the edge to the N4 ... I just wish Google does business with VZ in the future.

If Samsung goes all metal ppl will find another way to bash Samsung.... When u on top the public start to turn on u, look a Floyd mayweather still gets hated on if he gets knocked out ppl will be so happy if htc was to get back on top then they will get hated on badly ppl want the under dog to win

Hopefully Samsung is paying attention and does something different (not just more) with Touchwiz in the future. If it weren't for my concerns with how touchwiz would mess up my experience I would own an S4 right now. (don't really trust the google play editions of either phone - not enough people are going to own them to guarantee support for the long haul)

The One, while visually impressive, lost my interest very early for the weird button layout. I also find that while the materials of the HTC One are nicer I actually like the overall minimalist look of the S4 better. And having handled one in store the build quality is clearly superior to what I have now.

The Moto X would be wonderful if they could fix the camera (maybe they can?)

But alas...still rocking a Gnex and hoping that the Nexus 5 comes out with a good camera, decent battery life, no glass back and isn't a 5+ inch monster.

I have been using the LG Optimus G Pro for a few months now and coming from a day one user of the note 2 this phone is Awesome! I'm so surprised that this phone isn't getting no love. Alot of people are on att so that is no reason. My wife had an s4 and I find it choppy in comparison. Really is a great phone!

Very close decision between the One and the S4, but went for the One in the end, no regrets so far, admittedly it's early days (a fortnight) but don't anticipate any. I went from an S2 having fully expected to stay with Samsung for the last 2 years

Wait. The Droid Maxx was lucky to get an honorable mention? Did anyone even try the. Software is basically the same as your vaunted Moto X. Oh wait, 48 hour battery, NFC, honorable mention? I will say the one knock being its on Verizon, but darn. I loved the HTC one since it first came out, love the solid metal construction. but playing with the phone, the HTC glut they put on there is garbage. Maybe the Note side HTC one they are coming out with soon will woo me, but i just went and played with the Maxx and there is not a phone coming out in the next six months i'm interested in. I like the custom option on the X, but that's overkill.

I'm a Verizon customer and I just upgraded from my Galaxy Nexus to the HTC One on Saturday. Just a few days in, I'm so glad that I waited for the One and didn't jump on the S4 earlier this month. This phone is incredible and I would recommend it to anyone!

Still very happy with my nexus 4. Battery life could be better tough but looking forward for the next software update. Those immediate update are my main reason I chose the nexus. Totally fed up waiting extra 6 six months until HTC or Samsung or all the others were pushing an update or fed up too with installing custom roms which only lasted two weeks.

My S3 still floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee! Looking forward to the new crop of phones in Spring 2014. Maybe this years Nexus will make me break my contract, but highly doubt unless the base unit comes with 32GB internal storage at least and not made with fragile materials like a glass-back. I'm too clumsy.

I have the HTC one and the S4 both are great, but the One is definitely much smoother and stable, the s4 just has more features but it lags doing a lot of things, I'm on 4.3 sense 5 with my Att One, its great.

I would say that the Sony Xperia Z Ultra is the best oversize Android device and vastly superior to the LG Optimus G Pro. It is necessary to check the global market rather than limit yourself to a local one.;)

The Ultra is available today even if Sony hasn't rolled the C6833 LTE out yet.

It has a gorgeous screen with very realistic color reproduction, deep blacks (almost AMOLED class), Snapdragon 800, flexible stylus support and it runs a pretty unbloated Android implementation - the Sony UX is very close to vanilla and their apps like Album, Walkman and Movies are nice enhancements. It is great for reading documents etc too.

All in all: it's an awesome device that is highly recommended.

I have tried the Optimus G Pro and I don't like it, the LG UI is way too much TouchWiz in style and the device feels too much like a Note II-a-clone in general. The display is great though. Best Buy writes "take notes with your fingers" about it - I would say, get the Ultra instead and take notes with a pencil.;)

Everyone that is in the market for a big screen Android should check the Xperia Z Ultra first.

Another option is the Lenovo K900 - a very elegant device with 5.5 inch 1080p screen, more attractive than the LG Optimus G Pro for sure. It is worth to check it out.

This should of been a pole. I tried the HTC One and the S4 for 2 weeks each and decided to go with S4 for many reasons. HTC reminds me of phones of old with its huge border around the screen. I found it to feel heavy and large with much less screen real estate than the s4. I also love a lot of the software on the s4, the ability to swap batteries, sd slot, Camera....... :)

I understand that this is a "best right now" article. But there's a fair amount of intro wording about how the year is basically set, and failing to mention the impending (2 weeks on VZW, according to media reports) LG G2 is a serious error.

If we consider the Nexus 4 is now selling for a meager $199-$249 it's hard to imagine anyone wanting to buy anything else. My wife has an HTC One and although it's a good phone, I wouldn't swap her for my Nexus 4. The thing I've found odd on the One is the placement of the settings button. Seems odd to me. Everything else is amazing. But even without LTE etc. I still think the N4 is the best phone.

The best part though is we have sso many choices. Do your research and find one that suits you best.